Bryson Daily rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns, setting a single-season FBS record for scores by a quarterback along the way, as No. 22 Army rolled past Louisiana Tech 27-6 in the Independence Bowl on Saturday in Shreveport, La.
Hayden Reed carried 20 times for a career-high 114 yards and a touchdown as Army (12-2) rebounded from a crushing 31-13 loss two weeks ago to Navy, in which the Black Knights relinquished the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy.
Army improved to 8-3 all-time in bowl games, and its 12 wins are the most in a season in program history.
Daily finished his senior season with 32 touchdowns, which topped the previous mark of 31 by an FBS quarterback, set by Navy’s Keenan Reynolds in 2013.
“I’m really proud of this senior class, the way we came together to have this season,” Daily said. “To have two six-win seasons in a row, to turn it around and get 12, just extremely proud of the guys.”
The Black Knights rang up 321 yards on the ground, averaging 5.0 yards per attempt against short-handed Louisiana Tech (5-8), which was without several players who entered the transfer portal.
The Bulldogs had only six defensive linemen available.
Louisiana Tech was a replacement for Marshall (10-3), which opted out of the game after more than 20 players entered the portal.
The Black Knights limited the Bulldogs to 218 yards and 11 first downs. Army stuffed Louisiana Tech’s rushing attack, allowing just 49 yards on 22 carries.
Evan Bullock completed 14 of 28 passes for 169 yards for Louisiana Tech. Tru Edwards had eight receptions for 92 yards.
Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie expressed disappointment on two fronts.
“I’m disappointed with them and the outcome. I’m disappointed that we didn’t play our best. I think it’s two fold, to use this taste of postseason play to motivate you to get back here, and then also to use this taste of postseason play to know that you play people where you have a small margin for error.”
Army was without second-leading rusher Kanye Udoh, who has transferred to Arizona State, after amassing 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
The Black Knights dominated from the start, scoring touchdowns on their first three drives, which covered 80, 80 and 75 yards.
Army’s 21-play, 75-yard march in the second quarter, which was capped by an 8-yard touchdown run by Daily, chewed a whopping 12:21 off the clock and put the Black Knights up 21-3 at the break.
Louisiana Tech drove inside the Army 10-yard line on three occasions but settled for field goals of 27 and 44 yards from Drew Henderson. The Black Knights’ Jaydan Mayes snuffed out the other march with an interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
